He also wants to legalise marijuana

A man whose name is actually, legally Santa Claus is bidding for a council seat in a place called North Pole, Alaska. Well, he needs something to do for the rest of the year, doesn't he?

The area is a suburb of Fairbanks, and two council seats are up for grabs in a byelection next week. You might think Santa is a joke candidate, but he has a pretty good chance of being elected - he's running unopposed. Apparently no one wants to end up on his naughty list.

Santa Claus - that's actually the name on his driver's license - has already served as North Pole's chamber of commerce. The town has a population of 2,200. The number of elves is unconfirmed.

Santa is also a vocal supporter of legalising medical marijuana in North Pole. "I am a medical marijuana patient," he told city council in a debate last year. "I would like to have access to medical marijuana here in North Pole and not have to travel to Fairbanks to get it."

Always jolly, an endless appetite for milk and cookies, red nose and puffy eyes; suddenly it's all starting to make sense.